SG – beyond 30

At the end of a year of 30th anniversary celebrations, Team SG is feeling reflective on what it takes for a creative agency to thrive for 30 years and beyond. Read the full article below.

What does it take to thrive after 30 years in business?

Reaching the end of our 30th year has given us pause for thought. We’re quite unusual in the agency world, to have stayed in business for this long. It hasn’t been a smooth ride – no small business, and certainly no small creative agency, could say that, if you think what has happened in the world in the last 30 years. But, we had a think about what it takes to keep going, and to keep doing good work, for three decades. Here are some of our thoughts:

1

Be proud of your experience — but don’t be precious about it

Thirty years in business means you’ve seen a lot. You’ve made mistakes (and learned from them), worked with hundreds of brilliant people, and handled more curveballs than you’d care to count.

But it also means letting go of old habits, outdated tools, and comfortable ways of working. The trick is to bring the experience without the ego. Stay curious. Stay useful.

2

Keep evolving – but stay recognisably you

There’s a fine balance between staying fresh and staying consistent.

Clients come to us because they want strategic, creative, commercially-aware thinking — not because we’re trying to reinvent ourselves every six months. But we’ve always made space to evolve. New people, new skills, new tools. Better ways of doing things. Update the engine — don’t change the number plate.

3

Relationships matter more than anything

This one’s not flashy, but it’s the truth.

The reason we’re still here? It’s not just the work (though we’re proud of it). It’s the relationships — with clients, collaborators, and with each other.

That means trust, honesty, reliability. It means doing what you said you’d do. And it means caring — about outcomes, not just output.

Clients don’t just remember the deliverables. They remember how you made them feel.

4

Adapt — but don’t chase every shiny object

Marketing loves a trend. (Remember QR codes the first time round?) We’ve learned to stay curious but calm — to spot the difference between a passing fad and a real shift.

Yes, we use AI. Yes, we understand the latest analytics platforms. Yes, we know what’s happening on TikTok. But the key is knowing why you’re doing something — and whether it actually serves the strategy.

5

Keep improving the product

For us, the “product” is thinking, creativity, problem-solving. And how we deliver it — from briefing to execution — needs to evolve too.

That’s meant:

  • Refining our offer based on what clients need, not what we feel like selling
  • Investing in training and tools (even when it’s tempting not to)
  • Listening to feedback — and doing something about it
  • Simplifying, streamlining, sharpening

A good reputation isn’t earned once. It’s re-earned every week.

6

Stay financially smart — even if you’d rather be designing something

Creative businesses often overlook the unglamorous bit: cashflow, pricing, and financial clarity.

But staying in business means:

  • Knowing where the money’s going and coming from
  • Pricing based on value, not time or guesswork
  • Saying no to work that’s not worth it
  • Being clear-eyed about what’s profitable (and what just keeps you busy)

We’ve stayed independent for 30 years because we’ve stayed commercial.

7

Back your people — or you’ll burn them out

We’ve all heard the stories: fast-paced agencies, short fuses, high turnover.

We’ve worked hard not to be one of those. Instead, we’ve tried to:

  • Support our team’s wellbeing, not just their output
  • Give people space to grow, learn, and shape the business
  • Build a culture based on respect, not bravado

When your people are motivated, safe, and valued — the work takes care of itself.

8

Lead with values — not just goals

When things get tough (and they do), values are your compass.

For us, that’s been about:

  • Doing the right thing, not the easy thing
  • Giving credit, taking responsibility
  • Being generous with ideas and sharp with execution
  • Acting like a partner, not a vendor

We’re not here to be the loudest agency. Just the one people trust.

Still curious. Still hungry.

Thirty (31!) years in, and we’re not winding down — we’re just hitting a different kind of stride. More confident in who we are. More focused on where we’re going. More committed than ever to doing work that matters.

Because here’s the truth: longevity is impressive — but relevance is what keeps you going.

We plan to keep doing both.